Liquid sprayer



April .1942- i w. H. ROSE 2,278,672

Li uID SPRAYER Filed Nov. 14, 1939 2 Sheets-Sheet 1 W. H. ROSE LIQUID SPRAYER 7 April 7, 1942.

- 2 SheetsSheet 2 Filed N ov 14, 1959 w wwmw Patented Apr. 7, 1942 UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE Stance Incorporated Application November 14, 1939, Serial No. 304,297

'7 Claims.

The present invention relates to a method and means for dispensing liquids, and particularly to a container or reservoir structure provided for association with a spray pump, in which the customary syphon tube is substantially eliminated. It is an object of the invention to provide a means whereby the container in which the sprayable liquid is packed may be used directly as the reservoir by direct attachment to the spray pump device. It is also an object of this invention to provide a container which without change may be used either as a fluid reservoir for spray pumps, or to dispense its liquid contents in a stream, A further object is to provide a means whereby a container or a spray pump may be adapted for use in spraying liquids without the use of syphon tubes and the like.

The invention and its objects may be fully understood from the following specification when it is read in conjunction with the accompanying drawings, in which Fig. l is a vertical section through the upper end of a container and the end of a spray pump attached;

Fig. 2 is a perspective view of a disassembled nozzle according to the invention;

Fig. 3 is a plan view of the nozzle retainer disc;

Fig. 4 is a plan view of another form of container top; and

Fig. 5 is a. vertical section of another form of the invention.

Figure 6 is a verticalsection along the line VIVI of Figure 4 through the upper portion of the container with the lower portion of the nozzle attached.

Referring to the drawings and particularly to Figs. 1 to 3 inclusive, the numeral I designates a container to which has been applied a nozzle 2 having a constructed top formed for engagement with a cap-like receptacle 3 carried by the pump barrel 4. The receptacle 3 is provided with a short syphon tube member 5 opening through the top of the receptacle and extending upwardly to terminate at the air outlet 6 of the pump barrel. Within the cap member 3 an annular l gasket I is provided to form a fluid-tight seal with the end of the nozzle 2.

The nozzle 2 is packed with a fibrous, absorbent material 8, such as cotton or the like, the

packing being held in place at the lower end of tion. In Fig. 2 an enlarged showing is provided of the nozzle and related elements, including a cap member It with which the nozzle is closed during shipment or storage. In addition, Fig. 3 illustrates the type of retainer disc I2 which is preferred for certain uses. As shown, the disc is provided with out-out portions I2a so that it may be more easily distorted for insertion into the nozzle through the flanged top opening.

In Fig. 4, there is illustrated a form of container top in which by leaving uncut a portion of the opening around which a nozzle is to be disposed, the need for a retainer wire 9 is obviated. In this form, the bridging strip I1 acts as a retainer for the packing material used in the nozzle. The arrangement of the bridging strip 51 in vertical section is further illustrated in Figure 6.

Another form of the invention is illustrated in Fig. 5. As shown, the arrangement provides for the inclusion of the packing material 8a in a special nozzle cap or receptacle 3a secured to a pump barrel 4a. in the manner of member 3 shown in Fig. 1. In this form, the cap 3a is of deep walled construction and is divided into'upper and lower compartments by means of the partition I 8, in which is disposed a perforator element It, A plurality of openings 24] provide for communication through the partition from one compartment to the other. The walls of the lower compartment are constructed for threaded engagement over the nozzle of a standard type of container Ia, having a thin seal closure l6. An annular gasket Ia provides a fluid-tight seal with the nozzle 2a of the container.

Communicating with the upper compartment, a short syphon tube member 5a extending through the top wall of the cap 3a and terminating at the air outlet 6a in the head of the pump barrel 4a.

The perforator element 191's preferably formed of a metal and is sufliciently rigid as to puncture the thin metal closure used to seal the nozzle opening of a container such as is contemplated. As is indicated in the drawings, the element is eccentrically formed and mounted in the partition, sothat as the cap is threaded into the nozzle, an opening larger than the element will be cut in the nozzle seal by means of the sharpened edge portion 1911 on the element. Other types of perforator elements may be adapted to this service so long as they permit substantial access through the seal for liquid from the container. It is also contemplated that the perfora- 5 tor element may be entirely omitted, some of the advantages of this structure being retained. In such instance, however, it becomes necessary to perforate the nozzle seal I6 by other means before applying the cap member 3a.

In operation, it is contemplated that the dispensing nozzle provided according to Figs. 1, 2 and 3, will be properly secured to the sprayer and the sprayer operated in the usual fashion. It has been found that the normal movement of the can results in saturation of the packing material, from which the liquid is drawn by the well known action of the air discharged from the pump across the upper end of the syphon tube. Actual use has indicated that no great difficulty is to be experienced in discharging the greater portion of the container contents in this fashion.

Other advantages of the structure as described, reside in the variability of spray saturation which may be obtained \Nhen operated with the can disposed below the sprayer barrel, a dry finely divided, mist-like dispersion of liquid is obtained, a dispersion so fine that, in still air, a fog of liquid particles may be created and will persist for a considerable period of time. When the sprayer is held so as to dispose the container above the barrel, a heavier, moist spray is obtained which is particularly suited for coating certain areas with a thin film of the sprayed liquid. The packing material substantially prevents a strong flow of liquid when the container is so inverted. Another use for the container, as illustrated in Figs. 1, 2 and 3, is for the direct application of a liquid stream to areas not to be reached by ordinary spraying application. For this purpose, the sprayer is disconnected, and by pressing the sides of the container, sufficient pressure can be induced to squirt the liquid contents from the nozzle opening in a solid stream and for a considerable distance. Although the packing material ordinarily functions to prevent any substantial leakage when the container may be inverted, it does not interfere with the eflicient use of the container as a squirt can. A further advantage provided by the structure shown and described in these figures, is that the container is quite unrefillable, the small opening and the packing material providing very efiective means to prevent the introduction of additional liquid when the original contents have been discharged.

As has been mentioned, the form of the invention iilustrated by Fig. 5, is adapted for use with containers of conventional form, providing therefor many of the advantages mentioned in describing the use of the structure shown in Figs. 1, 2 and 3. The use of this form of the invention is identical with the other except as to the squirt can feature. It has, however, one advantage, in that after the packing material in the upper compartment of the cap member 3a has been saturated,

the sprayer may be disconnected and used for a considerable time immediately thereafter before requiring resaturation. This feature permits the insertion of the sprayer into openings which are of a size such as to prevent the use of a sprayer and container assembly,

Obviously, the structures and arrangements illustrated and described for the purpose of providing an understanding thereof, are capable of considerable modification without departing from the basic concepts involved, and it is not intended that the invention shall be limited in scope by such disclosures, but only by the appended claims.

I claim:

1. In combination with an air spray pump, including a pump barrel having an outlet for pressure air, a container for liquid, a tubular member between said container and the pump barrel, including means for uniting said pump and container through said member, a chamber within said member, in substantially unrestricted communication with the container at one end, and opening outwardly at the other end by way of a restricted passageway including a syphon tube terminating at a point immediately adjacent said pump outlet for pressure air, an absorbent packing disposed in the chamber adjacent the passageway, and normally out of contact with liquid in said container, and means for retaining said packing in the chamber without substantially restricting communication between said chamber and the container.

2. A structure according to claim 1 in which said tubular member between said container and the pump barrel is a nozzle with means for uniting said pump and said container and said chamber therein.

3. In combination with a spray pump, including a pump barrel, having an outlet for pressure air, a container for liquid, means for securing said container to said barrel, including a tubular member on said container, and a detachable cap for said member secured to the spray pump barrel, a chamber within said member in substantially unrestricted communication with the container at one end, and opening outwardly at the other end by way of a restricted opening in said tubular member, communicating with a syphon tube on said cap terminating immediately adjacent the pump outlet for pressure air, an absorbent packing disposed in the chamber adjacent the passageway, and normally out of contact with a liquid in said container, and means for retaining said packing in the chamber without substantially restricting communication between said chamber and the container.

4. A structure according to claim 3, in which the means for retaining said packing is a narrow uncut portion of an opening in the top of said container about which opening said tubular member is secured.

5. In combination with a spray pump, including a pump barrel, having an outlet for pressure air, a container for liquid, a nozzle on said container opening thereinto, a deep walled tubular cap on said pump barrel adapted for engagement with said nozzle, said cap and nozzle forming a chamber in substantially unrestricted communication inwardly of said container, at one end, and at the other end, opening outwardly through a restricted opening in the top of said cap into communication with a syphon tube secured to the cap and extending upwardly to a point immediately adjacent the pump outlet for pressure air, an absorbent packing disposed in the chamber adjacent the passageway, and normally out of contact with a liquid in said container, and means for retaining said packing in the chamber without substantially restricting communication betwen said chamber and the container.

6. An apparatus according to claim 5, in which said absorbent packing is disposed in that portion of the chamber lying substantially within the cap.

'7. An apparatus according to claim 5, in which the means for retaining said absorbent packing is a partition member disposed transversely of said cap at an intermediate point therein, said partition having a plurality of openings providing for substantially unrestricted communication with the container through the container nozzle.

WILIAM H. ROSE. 

